Best Used Cars Under $15,000

If there’s a new driver in your household, a college student in your life who needs a reliable and inexpensive set of wheels, you need a fuel-efficient second car, or even if you just cant afford to replace Old Breakdown with a brand new model, these recent model year choices are recommended as smart buys, at $15,000 or less.

This list of best used cars is from CarMax, a source I trust, with the caveat that prices can be more than $15,000 depending on where you live and if you choose an upper trim configuration loaded with safety features including rearview camera, and such comfort features as leather seats and power sunroof.

A bonus is that all these vehicles are fuel efficient, with as much as 37 MPG ratings, saving you money at the gas pump.

Wherever possible, choose a certified pre-owned vehicle, also called CPO. These are of-lease vehicles, and often come with an extended or new car manufaturers warranty that varies by model year and brand.

CPO vehicles also receive a manufacturer-required repair and maintenance check before they can be resold or re-leased, so they are in better operating condition than what I call a “regular” used car you might buy, including directly from the owner.

With a peppy 1.8L, four-cylinder engine and an automatic gearbox, a used 2014 Honda Civic LX gives you an estimated 29 city/37 hwy mpg. Add to this the Civic’s attractive list of available features, including Bluetooth®, a rearview camera, and a push-button sunroof, and you’ve got a lot of car for your car-buying dollars.

Models like the 2013 Honda Civic LX have room for five passengers, and our customers commend this model for its smooth ride and solid handling. It’s a great road tripper for college students.

Chevy fans will find that the Malibu is both affordable and good on gas. The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu LS delivers an estimated 25 city/36 hwy mpg, and its four-cylinder, 2.5L engine gives you just about 200 hp.

These were just a couple of the reasons why the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu is on the CarMax list of the best used cars for teens.

Similarly-priced vehicles:

Here are similarly-priced vehicles you can find at CarMax with an average price of less than $15,000 (as of January, 2018)

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ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 20+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and guidebook and smartphone app author – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer. Contact me at [email protected] Also follow my NYC website, www.nyconthecheap.com.

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